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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26348647">Sunflower</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklynapple/pseuds/brooklynapple'>brooklynapple</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Doropetra birthday bash, F/F, happy birthday Petra, remembering parents who are gone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:27:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,334</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26348647</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklynapple/pseuds/brooklynapple</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On her first birthday spent at Garreg Mach, Petra remembers her parents and shares Brigid birthday traditions with Dorothea.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sunflower</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Doropetra Birthday Bash 2020! Happy birthday to Petra, our FE3H queen!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The 7th of Horsebow Moon dawned sunny and bright at Garreg Mach monastery. Petra was hard at work at the small writing desk in her room when she heard a knock at the door. “You may enter!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened and Dorothea swept inside, bearing a huge bouquet of sunflowers. “Happy birthday, Petra! I brought these for you because I know they’re your favorite! It must be hard to be so far from home on your birthday, so I wanted to make sure the day was special for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petra smiled and put down her pen. “Dorothea, you are always so kind. I will treasure these flowers as a reminder of our friendship and of my birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea glanced at the papers covering Petra’s desk. “I was going to ask you to accompany me to the dining hall for breakfast. I’m told that Edelgard and the other house leaders have convinced the kitchen to make a few Brigid dishes in your honor. Whatever you’re working on there, can it wait until after your birthday?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would be happy to come with you to try these Brigid foods, but first I do need to finish what I am doing here. In Brigid we have the tradition of honoring and thanking our mothers on the day of our birth, since they work so hard to bring us into the world. Sadly my mother is no longer with us since she died along with my father in the war, but still I write this letter to thank and remember her. I will send it to my grandmother and grandfather in Brigid, that we may all honor her sacrifice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea put a hand on Petra’s shoulder, sympathy written all over her face. “Oh Petra, it must be especially hard for you to remember her on this day. I know a little bit about how that feels, though the circumstances of my own mother’s passing were of course very different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petra smiled up at her sadly. “Thank you, Dorothea. It is meaningful to me to have a friend who also knows the pain of losing their mother at a young age. I do not know why, but it makes the feelings a little bit easier to bear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea squeezed Petra’s shoulder affectionately. “Would it help if you told me a bit about your mother? I think I’ve mentioned that my mother was lady-in-waiting to an Adrestian noble before she died, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say much about yours. Though of course you don’t have to tell me if it’s too private or painful to talk about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petra looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled and lifted her head proudly. “I think it would be helpful, yes. I am proud of my mother and it does her great honor to remember her life to others. Please, sit down if you would like.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gestured to the seat opposite hers at the desk and then continued. “My mother was one of the fiercest warriors and sharpest tacticians of her generation. Through the strength of her deeds and leadership she rose to become one of the youngest generals in Brigid’s army. That is where she met my father, when he challenged her spear with his sword on the training ground and found himself flat on his back in moments. I do not know if Fodlan has a saying for it, but in Brigid they say it was love at first strike.” She smiled to herself at the recollection of a story that must have been told to her many times as a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Their marriage was celebrated by our whole nation. My father was known for his political skill, and with my mother at his side to lead our warriors everyone felt that the leadership of Brigid was secure. She defeated several incursions from other islands both before and after I was born. Many people said that she reminded them of the legendary warriors of old, whose bravery and skill helped form Brigid as a nation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember her as a proud, loving mother who never lacked time for her daughter even with all of her other responsibilities. She was very firm with me and demanded the best, but that was because she knew I was capable of it. She helped me learn and grow into the person I am today, and for that I will always be thankful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her expression darkened as she went on. “Then Dagda declared war on the Empire, and asked Brigid to help. My mother argued against it, saying that in her tactical evaluation even the combined armies of Dagda and Brigid could not defeat Adrestia. But the chance for freedom from the Empire was too tempting, and she was overruled. To her credit, she stood by the decision once it was made, and marched at the head of Brigid’s army to do battle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petra sighed and looked away. “You know what happened after that. Just as my mother predicted, the Adrestian army crushed the armies of Brigid and Dagda, and we have been under Imperial rule ever since. It is said that my mother died defending my father. I know it was the way she would have wanted to go, dying a brave warrior’s death, but it does not make the memory less painful. I think often about how it would be if she were still here now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Petra. I’m so sorry.” Dorothea reached her hand across the table towards Petra, and after a moment of hesitation, Petra extended her hand and took it. “I can only imagine what it must have been like to get the news of your parents’ death and have your whole world change in an instant. I wish there were something I could do to take that pain away. At the very least, I can help you observe the beautiful tradition of honoring your mother on your birthday. Let these flowers be a celebration of her life as well as your birth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petra blinked back tears as she smiled at Dorothea, squeezing her hand. “You have my thanks, Dorothea. It truly means very much to me to have a friend who understands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Petra. I’m always here whenever you need someone to talk to, about this or anything else. I hope you will tell your mother in your letter that her daughter has grown up to be a strong, brave, brilliant woman, just like she was. You honor your mother by following in her footsteps, and if she could see you today I know she would be proud. Her spirit must be at peace knowing that her daughter will be such a remarkable leader for Brigid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Petra looked thoughtful. “I am thinking that you are very wise, Dorothea. I was not certain what to write to my mother on this day. I didn’t want to tell her that her daughter is now a hostage of the Empire, even if the Empire’s future leader seems like a woman of honor. But you are right. I can tell her that I am working hard to prove myself here in Fodlan so that Brigid will one day be recognized as an equal. It will be a difficult task, but my mother believed I was capable of many difficult things, and to honor her memory I will believe myself capable as well. This is a worthy vow to make to her on my birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes gleamed with pride and she immediately took up her pen and began to write.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorothea smiled fondly at her as she stood up from the desk. “I’ll give you some space to write and will go tell the kitchen that you need a few more minutes before coming to breakfast. I’ll be back for you in a bit! We’re going to make sure you have a very special day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Dorothea turned to go, Petra looked up and smiled at her, wide and genuine. “Do not worry, Dorothea. You already have.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have a personal tradition of thanking and appreciating my mother on my birthday, and thought it would be sweet to make it a Brigidian custom. </p><p>Big thanks to the Doropetra Week discord for pointing me in the direction of the very small amount of canon information on Petra's mother! In her B support with Cyril she mentions that her parents died, and that's the only info we have to go on. Everything else about her in this piece came from my own imagination. I like to think that she was as fierce and strong and kind as Petra is.</p><p>**</p><p>You can also find me on Twitter where I go by <a href="https://twitter.com/quorniya">quorniya</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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